Waterproof covering



Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTIQFFICE: g

, SAMUEL H. HARTMAN, OF LANCAsTER, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR T ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OE ENNSY VANIA WATERPROOF COV RING No Drawing.

This invention relates to flexible coverings, and more particularly to a waterproof covering adapted for outside use to resist abrasion and the natural elements.

Heretofore, it has been considered inadvisable to use linoleum or linoleum mix containing materials in areas exposed to severe cold, heat or moisture. It has also been considered that linoleum mix containing materials are unsuited for areas exposed to intense sunlight since the ultra-violet rays seem to penetrate the linseed oil mix and gradually cause disintegration thereof.

I provide an improved covering material containing a binder largely comprising an oxidized siccative oil, such as linseed oil, which is highly satisfactory when used out of doors. It is particularly well suited for use in covering running boards of automobiles and also the toe boards since it resists the severe abrasion to which these areas are subjected, and is highly resistant to attacks of heat and cold, sun-light and moisture.

As a basis for my improved material which meets these severe requirements, I preferably employ a sheet of waterproof paper, such as the felt-base material now used for roofing and the manufacture of cheap fioorcloths This material is satisfactory in that it is waterproof and cheap and it can be very easily cemented to steel or wood; the saturant, largely bituminous substances, in itself will adhere to surfaces to Which the material is applied and will remain there for some time.

This felt-base material will not in itself resist abrasion to any great extent. Moreover, pressure will cause the saturant to ooze from the material after it has been subjected to intense sun-light or other warmth if no overlying composition is present. 7 In orderto form a highly abrasive resistant surface material which will withstand scufiing and the wear incident to tracking water and dirt across the surface, I employ a plastic composition which is somewhat resilient when fully matured, but which is flexible enough to permit rolling and easy handling during manufacture and application to the surface to be protected.

Application filed September 7,1928. seriai'No. 304,613.

This surface composition preferably comprises by weight about 90 parts of linoleum cement; 120 parts of vegetable oil pitch;

about 100 parts of mineral filler such aswhiting; about 1 part each of lime and manganese resinate; about 100 parts of ground cork and from 450 to 500 parts of linoleum scrapwhich serves as a resilient filler;

This composition, containing as'it does I hlgh percentage of black pitch, is less af-' fected by ultra-violet rays than ordinary linoleum mix, and the opacity of the black pitch preserves the linoleum cement binder from disintegration induced by direct sunlight. The above mix is much more weather resistant than the'usual linoleum mix and will withstand much scufling and abrasion without material wear.

The combination of the waterproof backingpaper and the above described mix is much less affected by expansion and contraction than a linoleum would be under the same conditions for the reason that the Waterproof base paper does not absorb moisture and will not shrink as does burlap. 'Moreover, the overlying mix is highlywater resistant. The high pitch content aids materially in bonding the overlying mix tothe base paper. There is Very. little key offered by a felt-base paper,

yet I have found 'that the above mix will tear almost anywhere before it will tear at the line of juncture between the mix and the paper. i V f i In forming my improved covering to meet these severe conditions, of wear, I take a linoleum cement formed of oxidized linseed oil, rosin or gums, as isv well understood in the art,and mix it with the' pitch and fillers.

This mixture is then calenderedhot" upon the felt paper.

In order to color the about 12 parts of carbon black, although al,-.

most any desired dark color may be obtained- Thepitch itself is blackand as a con'sequence light colors-are not readily obtainable. The mixwithout vegetable oil pitch would not be effective for my purpose since it would lack-the quality .ofopacity to ultra-violet F light and thewaterresistant qualities neces-L material, I may use Y sary to meet the purposes for which my improved plastic composition is intended.

I have found that only those vegetable oil pitches made from drying or semi-drying T oils, such as linseed, cotton, soy bean or corn V leum cement are very heat sensitive, and for this reason I add lime to stlflen up the mm so that it will resist the calendering operation, and a heavy pressure can be induced beneath the calender roll without the mixture flowing away too readily. In this way I get a fine dense structure with a smooth surface which will resist moisture infiltration. Although my material is highly water resistant, it is somewhat susceptible to alkaline solutions and this smooth dense face, induced by'calendering a stiff mix, resists the enetration of alkaline substances which mig it, be spilled on the surface.

The manganese resinate serves as a dryer aiding in the oxidizing of the linseed oil cement and also of the vegetable oil pitch employed.

It is a fortunate circumstance thatvegetable oil pitch is comparatively cheap as compared with linoleum cement so that my improved covering is. not only superior to linoleum for the use for which it is intended,

' but can be made slightly cheaper.

WhileI have found the aboveproportionsto be highly satisfactory, I do not wish to be limited thereto since variations may be madeand equivalent material substituted tor the fillers without departing from my invention It will also be understood that a. waterproof membrane which is relatively cheap and which will lie fiat after the mix has been calen'dered thereon may be substituted for the felt-paper, provided it has a saturant which willinot inhibit a bond being secured between the mix and the paper.

While I have described my invention and. the method of practicing the same, it will be understood that variations may be made in p the materials-and in the methods used without departing: from theinvention. cl'a-imL 11A flexible weather and wear resisting tread comprising a waterproof backing and a flexible waterproof weather resisting com,-

position supported thereby, saidcomposition' comprising-by' weight about 9Q partsof lineleumcement, 120 partsofvegetable oil pitch,

100 parts of mineral filler, 100 parts of ground cork and 4:7 5 parts of linoleum scrap. 2. A composition including an oxidized linseed oil cement, a filler and a vegetable oil pitch, the oxidized linseed oil cement and the pitch being present substantially in the proportion of 9 to 12 by weight.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

- SAMUEL H. HARTMAN. 

